Tashkent has launched the first phase of a dedicated bus rapid transit (BRT) line on Shahrisabz Street, the city's Road Traffic Organization Center announced.
Construction on this segment began in late July. The 1.2-kilometer stretch, separated from regular traffic by curbs, runs between Mirabad Street (the roundabout near the Grand Mir Hotel) and Amir Temur Avenue (near the Museum of Arts), extending the BRT line already operating on Shota Rustaveli Street, which opened roughly a year ago.
Five stops have been built along the new stretch — two in one direction and three in the other, located near Oybek metro station, Yakub Kolas Park, and the Museum of Arts.
As with the roughly 7-kilometer first phase on Shota Rustaveli Street, left turns for other vehicles have been closed at intersections along the new segment. The change has caught many drivers off guard, and some continue to make left turns and U-turns regardless.
The decision to ban left turns has drawn criticism, since it forces drivers to make U-turns on perpendicular streets instead — often in violation of traffic rules.
The bus lanes now follow a curved path similar to the Rustaveli line, a design intended in part to slow traffic, though lane markings have yet to be completed and traffic signal timing is still being adjusted.
In some sections, the roadway for other vehicles has been narrowed to two lanes (compared with three lanes throughout the Rustaveli stretch), and paid parking spaces along the route have been removed.
Street-level crossings were added near the stops by Oybek metro station, though for unclear reasons authorities have not restored the crosswalk across Afrosiyob Street that was removed a decade ago.
That omission is as questionable as the underground crossings leading to the BRT stops near the Grand Mir Hotel and Pushkin Square. Despite officials' stated commitment to prioritizing pedestrians, such design choices continue to favor drivers instead.
The next phase of construction will extend the BRT line along the remaining stretch of Shahrisabz Street to its next intersection with Amir Temur Avenue, near the Wyndham Hotel, adding roughly 3 kilometers to the route. The line is then expected to continue along Amir Temur Avenue toward the Yunusabad district.
In April, Tashkent's city administration presented plans for further expansion of the BRT network, which will also extend along Yangi Sergeli Street, bringing the system's total length to 16.3 kilometers.
Stay up to date with all the latest news:
